Rotor



Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES FRED E. DUMBLETON, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 ALLIS-CHALMEIRS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, DELAWARE OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 0F BOTOR Application led May 15, 1926. Serial No, 109,247.

This invention relates generally to imrovements in rotors, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of mechanism for adjusting the vanes of the rotors of various types of rotary machines such as turbines, pumps or propellers.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and useful rotor which is simple in construction and efficient in operation. Another object of the invention is to provide ilnproved mechanism for controlling the operation of rotary machines by adjustment of the vanes of the rotors thereof. A further object of the invention is to provide simple and eilicient means for effecting angular adjustment about their longitudinal axes of the vanes of various types of rotors. These and other objects and l advantages will appear from the following description. v

Some of the novel features of rotor vane adjusting mechanism, shown but not specilically claimed herein, form the subject of copending applications Serial No. 40,136 led June 29, 1925, now Patent 1,656,017 issued Jan. 10, 1928, and 43,167 filed July 13,1925. A clear conception of an embodiment of the present invention and of the operation of devices constructed in accordance therewith, may be companying and forming a part of this speciiication in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary central vertical section through an axial flow hydraulic turbine rotor and a portion of the main shaft thereof.

Fig. 2 is a transverse horizontal section through the shaft of the hydraulic turbine, the section being taken between the hollow and vsolid shaft portions.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary central vertical section through a portion of the vane adjusting mechanism of the hydraulic turbine shaft disclosed in Fig. 1. the section being taken at right angles to the planeof section of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section through a vertical hydraulic turbine installation emimprovement are had by referring to the drawing acbodying an axial ow rotor' having adjustable vanes.

Vhile the invention has been shown and described herein as being specifically applied to an axial flow hydraulic turbine, itwill be apparent that most of the features of the more generally applicable to the rotors of various types of machines such as' fluid actuated turbines, fluid pumps or conveyance Propellers. The hydraulic turbine unit specifically illustrated in the drawing comprises in general a rotor 2 having a. plurality of pivotally supported vanes 3 radiating from a one-piece central hub 4 which is secured to the bottom flange 29 of the hollow lower section 5 of a main shaft; a main turbine casing 6 cooperating with adjustable inlet guide vanes 7 to form a housing for .the

rotor 2, and providing a vane free transition space 8 for conducting water from a penstock 11 past the guide vanes 7 toward the rotor 2 in the form of a vortex advancing in an axial direction; a draft tube 12 for conducting the water delivered from the rotor 2 to the tail-race 13; an electric generator or other energy translating device 10 associated with the`upper solid section 9 of the main shaft; and a suitable foundation 14 for supporting the turbine and the energy translating device 10 associated therewith.

Referring specifically to Fig. 1, the dovetail shaped radiating vanes 3 of the rotor 2 which may be two or more in number, are pivotally associated with the one-piece hub 4 comprising an outer annular shell and an inner supporting portion 19 cast integral with the outer shell. The outer shell portion of the hub 4 is provided with radial bores 21l which fit external cylindrical surfaces of the vanes 3, and the central supporting portion of the hub -4 is provided with radial projections having cylindrical outer surfaces 20 formed concentric with the bores 21 and fitting recesses in the ends of the vanes 3, thereby providing two remotely spaced bearings for each vane 2. The bores 21 are of considerably larger diameter than the cylindrical surfaces 20 and the hub end of each vane 3 is provided with an integral bevel gear segment 18 extending upwardly from the axis of rotation of the vane into the hub 4. Each vane 2 is also provided with an opening normally closed by a plug lower portion of the hub 4 is provided with a removable closure cap 28 bolted thereto, for normally enclosing the screws 26 and the nuts 27.

The hub 4 is detachably secured to the bottom Harige 29 of the lower hollow shaft section 5 by means of stud bolts 30, and has its upper portion provided with an opening which is normally closed by the flange 29.

\ Located centrallyl within theA shaft Section5 is a vane adjusting shaft 16, the lower end of which carries a bevel gear 17 which meshes with the bevel gear segments 18 of all of the vanes 3. The4 gear 17 is fixed to the shaft 16 by means of a clamping nut 23, and the lower extremity of the shaft 16 is mounted in a guide bearing 22 formed in the central hub portion 19.4 A worm wheel 34 attached to the upper extremity of the shaft 16 by means of a clamping nut 35, meshes with an adjusting worm 37 carried by a transverse adjusting shaft supported in a gear casing comprising lower and upper sections 31, 32 respectively. rJLhe gear casing is mounted upon the adjusting shaft 16 and is located between-a lower ange on the upper shaft section 9 and an upper flange on the lower shaft section 5, these flanges coacting with an enclosing ring 15 which also serves to unite the shaft sections. The gear casing comprising the sections 31, 32 has a lateral projection fitting within a retaining recess 41 in order to prevent rotation of the gear casing relatively to the ring 15, and is adjustably associated with the upper liange of the shaft section 5 by means of jack screws 33. The depending ends of the jack'screws `33 are protected by means of-a casing 36 secured to the shaft section 5. An indicator comprising a lever 38 and a pointer 39 cooperatmg with a dial 40 is located between and is carried by the gear casing sections 31, 32

for the purpose of indicating the position of adjustment of the rotor vanes. VThe shaft of the worm wheel 37 which is likewise carried by the gear casing sections 31, 32 isrovided with a locking device 42 as shown inlhig. 2.

During normal operation of the hydraulic turbine unit, the guide vanes 7 are properly adjusted to admit Water from the penstock 11 through the transition space 8 to the rotor 2 in the form of a vortex advancing axially past the rotor vanes 3 to the draft tube 12. While passing through the rotor 2, avportion of the energy ofthe water is converted into rotary motion of the rotor 2 which is transmitted f vanes 3 are locked in position by the worm 37 and worm wheel 34 and by the jack screws v 33 which are Set to exert ya downward pressure upon the bevel gear 17 through the casing sect-ions 31, 32, the worm wheel 34 and the adjustin shaft 16, thus wedging the gear 17 against t e gear segments 18.

If it is desired to angularly adjust the rotor vanes 3 about their pivotal axes, the unit may be shut down byl closing the guide vanes 7, whereupon the jack screws 33 may be manipulated to release the lock afforded ,by the downward wedging action of the gear 17, and the locking device 42 may be released to free the worm 37. Byvmanipulating the released worm 37, the worm wheel 34, the adjusting shaft 16 and the gear 17 may be rotated relatively to the shaft section 5 thus simultaneously rotating the vanes 3 about their pivotal axes. As the worm 34 rotates, the indicating pointer 39 is moved along the dia-l 40 until the desired degree of adjustment has been attained, whereupon the vanes 3 may again be locked in adjusted position by means of the jack screws 33 andthe locking device 42.

The one-piece construction of the hub 4 andA the provision of remotely spaced internal and external bearing surfaces 20, 21 for each vane 3, provides a rigid and compact rotor struc- -ture. When assembling the rotor 2, the closure plugs 25 of the vanes 3 are removed and the gear segments 18 are first slipped through the openings bounded by the bearing surfaces 21, after which the vanes may be positioned to properly coact with the surfaces 20, 21. The retaining pins 24 may then be inserted and locked into properly adjusted position after which the plugs 25 may be caulked, welded or otherwise permanently attached to the vanes. The rotor 2 may be removed from the shaft section 5 at any time by merely` releasing the stud bolts 30 and dropping the rotor away from the gear 17 and shaft end 22. The vane adjusting mechanism is however accessible without dismantling the rotor 2, by virtue of the'location of the adjusting mechanism between the shaft sections 5, 9 and above the normal water level.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and operation herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occure to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1.V In combination, a hub associated with said shaft, a plurality of vanes pivotally supported by said hub, a gear segment associated with each of said vanes adjacent to its pivot, an adjusting shaft located within said main shaft and extending into said hub, a gear connecting said adjusting shaft and said gear segments, said gear being disposed at the side of said hub adj acent to said hollow shaft, and means for axially shifting said adjusting shaft gear to lock said vanes in adjusted position.

2. In combination, a hollow main shaft, a hub secured to said shaft, a plurality of vanes pivotally supported by said hub, a bevel gear segment formed integral lwith each of said vanes adjacent to its pivot, an adjusting shaft located within said main shaft and extending into said hub, a bevel pinion secured to said adjusting shaft, said pinion being disposed at the side of said hub adjacent to said main shaft and coacting with all of said gear segments, and means for axially moving said adjusting shaft gear to lock said gear segments in adjusted position.

3. In combination, a hollow main shaft, a

hub secured to saidshaft, said hub compris ing a shell portion and a central portion formed integral with said shell portion, a plurality of vanes pivotally supported by both said shell and central hub portions, an adjusting shaft located within said main shaft and having its lower extremity slidably journaled in said central hub portion and associated with said shaft above the lower journal thereof, gearing disposed within said shell portion for transmitting motion from said adjusting shaft to said vanes, and means for axially shifting said adjusting shaft to lock said gearing in adjusted position.

4. In combination, a main shaft, al lub secured to said shaft, said hub comprising an outer portion and an inner portion formed integral with said outer portion, a plurality of vanes pivotally associated with said hub and each having outer and interior cylindrical surfaces coacting with internal and external cylindrical surfaces of said outer and inner hub portions respectively, and retaining screws secured to said inner hub portion and coacting with surfaces of said vanes for preventing outward displacement Vof said vanes.

5. In combination, a main shaft, a hub secured to said shaft, said hub comprising an outer portion and an inner portion formed integral with said outer portion, a plurality of vanes pivotally associated with said integral hub portions only and extending outwardly beyond said outer hub portion, means for preventing outward displacement of each of said vanes, a gear segment formedintegral with each of said vanes, an adjusting shaft having its lower extremity slidably journaled in said central hub portion, a gear secured to said adjusting shaft above the lower journaled extremity thereof and meshing with al1 of said gear segments, and means for axially shifting said adjusting shaft to lock said gearing in adjusted position.

6. In combination, a main shaft, a hub secured to said shaft, said hub comprising outer and inner portions, a plurality of vanes pivotally associated with said inner hub portion and extending outwardly beyond said outer hub portion, each of said vanes Ahaving a pocket provided with an opening adjacent to its pivotal axis, and retaining screws insertable through said openings of said vanes and cooperating with said inner hub portion to prevent outward displacement of said vanes, said screws being normally sealed within said pockets. i

7. In combination, bore, a hub associated with. said shaft, a plurality of vanes pivotally associated with said hub, and means for adjusting said vanes about their pivotal axes, said meanscomprising an adjusting shaft, a gear enclosing casing mounted within said main shaft bore, means for preventing rotation of said enclosing casing relatively to said main shaft, and gearing connecting said casing andisaid adjusting shaft.

8. In combination, `a hollow main shaft having a bore, a hub secured vto said shaft, a plurality of vanes pivotally associated with a main shaft having a said hub, an adjusting shaft located within said main shaft, gearing connecting said adjustingY shaft and sa1d vanes, a gear enclosing casing having a portion fitting said bore and being associated with an end of said adjusting shaft, means for preventing relative rotation of said enclosing casing and said main shaft, and worm gearing connecting said casing and said adjusting shaft.

9. In combination, a main shaft, a hub sccured to said shaft, said hub comprising outer and inner portions separated by an annular' space, a plurality of vanes pivotally associ-` ated Iwith said inner hub portion and extendlng across said space and outwardly beyond sald outer hub portion, each of said vanes having a pocket provided with an opening adjacent to its pivotal axis, a retaining screw insertible into said pockets through each of said openings and cooperating with said inner hub portion to prevent outward displacement `of the corresponding vane, and means within said space for moving: said vanes about their pivotal axes.

10. In combination, a mam shaft, a hub secured to said shaft, a plurality of vanes pivscrew insertible into each of saidl pocketsy through each of said openings and cooperating with said hub to prevent outward displacement of the corresponding vane, and aclosure plate for each pocket associated with each of said openings for inclosing said screws. p v

12. In comblnatlon, a mam shaft, a hub secured to said shaft, a plurality of vanes pivotally associated with said hub, each of said vanes having a pocket provided with an opening adjacent to its pivotal axis, means insertible into said pockets through said openings and cooperable with said hub to prevent out-Ward displacement of said vanes, and a closure plate 'for each of said pocket openings.

13. In combination, a mam shaft, a hub secured to said shaft, a plurality 0f vanes pivotally associated with said hub, each of said vanes having a pocket disposed entirely within the contour of said hub and provided with an external opening, retaining screws insertible into said pockets through said openings and cooperable with said hub to prevent outward displacement of said vanes, and a closure plate for each of said openings disl Eoed flush with the external surface of said 14. In combination, a main shaft, a hub secured to said shaft, a plurality of vanes pivotally associated with said hub, each of said vanes having a pocket disposed Wit-hin` the outer surface pf said huband adjacent to the pivotal axis of the vane', means insertible into said pockets and cooperablewith said hub to prevent outward displacement of said vanes, and a detachable plate for permitting access tov each of said pockets, said plates bein disposed fiush with the outer surface of sai hub.

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is aiiixed hereto.

FRED E. DUMBLETON. 

